‘Ill-fated Associations’ - James Metcalf writes about a life shattered by war
Rachael Parker shares three of her poems with The Yorker
The Yorker talks to three student playwrights premiering their work in the Drama Barn next term.
A poem by J Cridford exploring the imagination and quest for belonging
Ross is a third-year Writing, Directing and Performance student, and is the creator of DramaSoc’s week 4 Open Drama Night. In this interview, he talks about the inspirations and challenges that come with playwriting at university.
It’s a collection of spooky and eerie tales that I've written in the past in celebration of Halloween, which will have just passed the day before. It'll be mostly read-throughs of plays and short pieces of prose, but there will also be a video projection.
I have a crazy over-active imagination and can find myself inspired by anything! One play that I started on was inspired by a radio conversation about Bed and Breakfasts, whilst some pieces of mine have been inspired by dreams. One of the pieces that will be seen on Monday is an embellished horror story that my Dad told my brother and I whilst we were camping. One of my more successful pieces 'You Judas', which has been commended outside of the University, was simply inspired by my need to explore my own Christian faith and the core of what Christianity is. I learnt a lot though the research and the process of writing it. And then there is a fantasy novel that I've been writing for just over a year whose inspiration is difficult to pin down: I woke up one morning and just started writing! My ideas come from anywhere and everywhere, frustrating but such a thrill too!
My time at University has been very beneficial to my writing, no doubt about it! There are plenty of opportunities to write and to have it assessed and evaluated by your peers. I have friends who have read my stuff and I've read theirs. It's a very healthy environment to share and develop as artists.
It's a lot of fun seeing your own play develop from words on a page to words in people's mouths! Particularly because it won't be how you imagine it to be in your mind. Bringing in a cast and another director only strengthens your writing. You see lines that don't work. You throw little bits in to make it better or clearer or funnier. One of my favourite parts of rehearsal was directing the Chorus for 'You Judas', distributing lines, choreographing the movement and I had great, responsive actors for it. Seeing the 'character' that bookended the play burst with energy and fun was brilliant.
The best: Seeing someone really understand your character and make it work. And the worst: It can be stressful. Especially when I've undertaken the direction myself too. I'm not great for organisation so trying to get everything ready before the show - lights, sound, props, costume. But although I say it's the worst, there is a certain buzz surrounding that madness!
As a bit of practical advice: don't concern yourself too much with entrances and exits and stage layout at first. Get the story out and either leave the staging practicalities to the director or until you've got the skeleton of your play down because it's easy to lose the creative juices when you get distracted. But also make sure that you enjoy it. And that you like what you've written. It shouldn't be too much of a chore (though editing can be hard!).
You must log in to submit a comment.
